Topology Workbook: Character Head Modeling

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TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK
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“It is more than probable that the average man
could, with no injury to his health, increase his
efficiency fifty percent.”- Sir Walter Scott
TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK
V o l u m e
0 2
PUSHING POINTS
TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
Pushing Points | Topology Workbook: Volume 2
William Vaughan
pushingpoints.com
Published by:
Hickory Nut Publishing
Clermont, FL
Copyright © 2019 by William Vaughan
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recorded, or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the copyright owner.
A friendly reminder from one artist to another.
Copyright law protects the value of this creative work. When you make unauthorized copies of this creative
work, you are taking something of value from the creator without permission.
This creative work is the result of countless hours of learning and experience gained over many years. It’s
compilation here also took many hours that could have been spent with family and friends. By legally acquiring
this content, you encourage the creator to re-invest in their creative work.
If you currently find yourself in a position where you simply can’t afford to legally obtain this creative work, there
are alternative free resources available online that you can access legally.
TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
About the Author
William Vaughan is an award-winning artist, writer, and director. He has created thousands of original computergenerated characters, including Tofu the Vegan Zombie. William has trained thousands of cg artists throughout
the world and authored more than one thousand tutorials and instructional videos. He has been published by
major cg magazines, contributed to over twenty books, has written and directed several award-winning films, and
has created digital art for many top studios, including Nickelodeon and Pixar Animation Studios.
Later in his career, William added scripting to his arsenal of tools and has created hundreds of scripts and several
kits for Modo. His custom tools are used by artists and studios across the globe. Some of the more notable kits and
collections are the Hatchet Collection, Polystein Kit, MOP Booleans, MOP Tubes, the Topology Scripts Collection
and the Coolidge Collection.
Recently, William and his wife Andrea co-wrote a young adult science fiction novel titled 2nd Gen, which won first
place category award winner for the 2018 Dante Rossetti International Book Awards.
William Vaughan | pushingpoints.com
About the Technical Reviewers
Chris O’Riley has created visual content for advertising, corporate, editorial and interactive media to some of the
world’s top brands. Combining cutting-edge 2D and 3D digital production techniques with photography,
creative retouching and an unmatched attention to detail, he produces striking imagery and animation.
Chris O’Riley | chris3d.com
Ed Ferrari graduated with a BFA in Computer Animation from Miami International University of Art and Design.
After college, he spent a decade in Los Angeles, working in the film and television industry. Following his stint
in Hollywood, Ed landed a position with Foundry, fulfilling the role of software evangelist on the Modo team.
Currently, he’s living in the greater Boston area working as a 3D Production Artist at New Balance Athletics Inc. In
his spare time, he writes short stories and builds worlds around the odd characters he draws on the post-it notes
that cover his work area.
Ed Ferrari | artstation.com/edferrari
TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
Table of Contents
Introduction
Who should read this book?
What you can expect from this book?
02
03
Section 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Getting Started
Eye Mask
Laugh Line
Inner-Laugh Line and Nose Loop
Nose
Starting the Eyes
Starting the Mouth
Ear
Finishing the Mouth
Finishing the Eyes
Neck
Centerline
Finalize
05
11
12
13
14
25
27
29
40
44
45
49
51
Section 02 | TOPOLOGY REFERENCE
Core Face Topology Reference
Additional Head Topology Reference
53
54
Final Thoughts
Closing the Loop
60
TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
Introduction
TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
INTRODUCTION
When I released the first volume of the Pushing Points Topology
Workbook, I can honestly say that I had no idea how it would be
received. Although I had been sharing the same information in studios,
classrooms and with individual artists for over twenty years, I had
never compiled it into book form.
I viewed releasing a book about the fundamentals of topology versus
a book on how to create a specific character, environment, vehicle or
prop as a gamble. I was extremely excited that the gamble paid off.
Since its release, I’ve received an overwhelming amount of positive
feedback about the first volume of the Topology Workbook. My thanks
go out to everyone who reached out and shared their experience with
the book and how it’s aided them in their creations.
Many artists have asked for a follow up to the book, and the most
requested topic was the techniques I use when creating the facial
topology of a character head. The information in this book focuses
on just that.
As with anything that I have shared with artists over the years, it’s
important to understand that the information you will find in this
book isn’t the truth. It’s my truth. There are many ways to go
about tackling any task, and the techniques for creating a
character head that I share in this book is what works for me.
My advice is to explore this resource with an open mind, leave with
as many take-aways as you can and use what works best for you.
Who should read this book?
Anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of creating, editing and
working with the topology of 3D character head meshes can obtain valuable
information in this book.
A character’s facial topology can affect many areas of production including
modeling, UV’ing, rigging, animating and rendering. With that in
mind, information covered in this book is not limited to digital
modelers.
Although it’s not a requirement for this book, I’d strongly recommend reading and
completing the exercises found in the first volume of the Pushing Points Topology Workbook. It’s a
software-agnostic guide that teaches you the foundation of Subdivision Surface topology. There are over sixty
exercises packed with loads of tips, tricks and techniques designed to teach you how to manage the topology
of your meshes. The book doesn’t show you how to build a car, character or creature. Instead, it teaches you
the foundation of SubD topology, so you can construct ANY SubD asset with clean polygon flow.
02
TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
What can you expect from this book?
This book is designed to demystify the creation of character
heads with clean facial topology. Throughout the pages of this
guide, I share production-proven modeling tips and
techniques as well as ideologies that have served me over
the course of my career. I’ve been sharing my process for
modeling characters for over twenty years, and as you
can imagine, my process has evolved over time. My
goal when tackling any task is to find the most
efficient way of working, and the information found
in this book shares the techniques I currently use
when modeling a character head.
It’s important to note that this resource is not intended
to replace your software’s manuals or help files. You
should have a working knowledge of at least one 3D
software. This book takes a software-agnostic approach,
so you should have no problem following along
whether you use Modo, Maya, Max, Blender,
Cinema 4D, LightWave or any software with standard
modeling tools and commands. For those interested,
I’ve used Modo to demonstrate the tips and
techniques in this book, but everything shown can
be implemented in your choice of 3D software.
Throughout this book, I’ll be using common
industry terms to describe the components of a
3D mesh and modeling techniques. Many of the
words and phrases used are the informal
counterparts of the original terms. Vertices may be
referred to as verts, and polygons may be referred
to as polys, for example. It’s recommended that you
become familiar with both the official word as well as
its slang counterpart(s).
For each step in the process I share not only what to do, but why to do it. While you
could ignore the “why” and speed through each step blindly, you may walk away from this
training lost, frustrated and no better off than before you read it. Learning isn’t a race. To truly
increase your understanding and abilities, you need to slow down and take the time to
understand the information being shared. In the end, you’ll get there faster.
In this book, you’ll learn
•
•
•
•
The fundamentals of good facial topology
Multiple modeling techniques
Professional practices
And much more
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TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
SECTION 01
Box Modeling: Character Head
TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
01
Step | 01
Create a Cube Primitive.
When modeling a character head, I almost always start
with a cube primitive. This simple all-quad object
consists of six quad polygons and is an ideal starting
point for a head. The mesh already has dimension and
is the fewest number of polygons I recommend starting
with when building just about anything.
I recommend scaling the cube to the rough dimensions
you’d like to work with and then placing it at the origin.
If you have reference images you plan on using, edit the
dimensions of the cube to match the general shape of the
head reference.
02
Step | 02
Convert the polygonal cube primitive to Catmull-Clark
subdivision surfaces (SubD), and then Subdivide the
mesh to generate a denser cage to work with.
As we learned in volume one of the Topology Workbook,
Subdivision Surfaces (SubD) is a refinement algorithm
that creates a smooth curved surface from a coarse
polygonal mesh. Although there are multiple SubD
algorithms, the most commonly used subdivision surface
algorithm is Catmull-Clark devised by Edwin Catmull
and Jim Clark.
For this exercise, we’ll be focusing on 3D mesh topology
as it pertains to Catmull-Clark subdivision surfaces.
Note:
It’s very common for artists to over subdivide the mesh
at this stage. I recommend keeping the mesh as light as
possible for as long as possible.
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TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 03
03
Select the front two polygons (faces) located on the
bottom of the mesh and extrude them down using the
Extrude Tool.
As you can see in the side view image in the lower-left,
performing this step creates a blocked-out shape of a
head which includes the chin and back of the skull.
Note:
Throughout this guide, we’ll be using a variety of tools.
The names of these tools may be different, depending on
which software you use. While the Extrude tool was used
in this example, the same results could be created using
alternate tools such as the Polygon Bevel or Smooth Shift
tools.
Feel free to use any tools you feel most comfortable with
as long as the end result matches the reference images
shown for each step.
Simply put, the software and tools you choose to use are
of little importance; only the results matter.
*Side View
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
04
Step | 04
Create a quad-loop of polygons that separate the left and
right side of the head by edge beveling the center edge
loop using the Edge Bevel Tool.
New geometry shown in Blue.
When applying an Edge Bevel, selected edges widen into
quad strips of a uniform, specified width. New polygons
are centered over the original edge and are oriented with
the average normal of the two polygons on either side.
Surrounding polygons remain in their same plane, simply
shrinking on their affected edges.
Note:
I prefer to not work with a centerline when modeling a
character. I find it much easier to manipulate the mesh
throughout the build process without a centerline. In
some 3D software, I also find working without a
centerline avoids breaking symmetry while modeling.
A centerline will be added later in the process, but for
now I suggest working without one. If you prefer to work
with a centerline, feel free to add one back in before
moving forward.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 05
05
Add an edge loop through the mouth area of the mesh
using the Loop Slice Tool.
There are many cutting and slicing tools available in most
3D software that can be used to perform this step. I chose
to use the Loop Slice Tool, which is a powerful tool that
lets you slice additional edge loops into your geometry.
It’s like Edge Slice but more efficient when slicing
polygon loops. You simply select two adjoining polygons
or a single edge to define the loop, and the tool does the
rest.
*Side View
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 06
06
Add three additional edge loops to the upper portion of
the mesh using the Loop Slice Tool.
This will produce additional geometry that can be used
when creating the eyes of the character.
Note:
In the last two steps, additional geometry has been added
to the back of the head even though we just need it for
the face. This isn’t an issue given that the overall mesh is
still light on polycount, but be aware that it isn’t always
ideal to add geometry in all areas of the mesh. When
possible, choose to localize the detail.
*Front View
*Side View
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 07
07
Add an additional edge loop through the side of the face
using the Loop Slice Tool.
Note:
These extra edges will aid in the creation of the eyes and
mouth without making additional geometry on the back
of the head.
*Side View
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
08
Step | 08
Create Eye Mask topology by selecting the ten
polygons that make up the eye portion of the face and
then bevel them using the Polygon Bevel Tool.
New geometry shown in Blue.
The Polygon Bevel tool performs a shift (sometimes
referred to as Offset) and an inset (sometimes referred to
as Scale) on the selected polygons. Shift pushes the
polygons away from their starting positions, and Inset
scales the polygons. New polygons are created to bridge
the gaps that would be left by moving the original polygons from their starting positions.
The “Group” option of the Polygon Bevel Tool, which is
sometimes referred to as “Keep Faces Together,” treats the
entire contiguous polygon selection as a single polygon. I
keep this option enabled 99.9% of the time.
I like to think of the Eye Mask as a border which protects
the geometry that makes up the eyes. It has the same
appearance as a superhero mask seen on characters such
as the Umbrella Academy, the Incredibles, and Robin
from the Batman comics.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
09
Step | 09
Create Laugh Line topology by selecting the nine polygons that make up the lower portion of the face and then
inset them using the Polygon Bevel Tool.
New geometry shown in Blue.
The Laugh Line plays an important role in creating various expressions on a character’s face. I highly recommend
creating Laugh Line topology on any and all characters
you plan on animating.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
10
Step | 10
Create Inner-Laugh Line and Nose loop topology by
selecting the nine polygons shown in the image on the
left and then inset them using the Polygon Bevel Tool.
With the polygons still selected, perform another bevel
operation to create the first loop that will be used for the
mouth.
Note:
This step requires a total of two polygon bevel operations.
Ensure that your mesh looks similar to the image in the
lower left before moving forward.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
11
Step | 11
Select the eleven polygons shown in the image to the left
and inset them using the Polygon Bevel Tool.
New geometry shown in Blue.
The selection should appear as an upside down “T.”
Beveling this geometry will generate additional edges that
will be important when defining the character’s nose.
As we learned in volume one of the Topology
Workbook, performing a polygon bevel on any polygon
island will result in an all-quad loop around the selection.
It’s extremely important to remember this technique, as it
comes in handy often.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 12
12
Define the shape of the nose by manipulating the
geometry within the selected edges shown in the images
to the left. I use the Element Move Tool to manipulate the
geometry, as it works in vert, edge and polygon
component mode.
I’d also recommend activating Symmetry at this point.
The Symmetry function allows you to apply mirrored
actions across a chosen axis. This allows for a simplified
workflow on symmetrical objects, when corresponding
sides of an object are exactly matched.
No new geometry is created in this step.
Note:
Don’t feel like you must recreate the shapes shown in the
reference images. I’d prefer you didn’t. You can use the
steps provided in this book to create an endless amount
of characters, all appearing very different.
By default, the nose will appear very wide. By simply
scaling the width of the nose, you can create a much
smaller, narrow nose. I’ve used this topology to create
everything from cute button noses for baby characters to
large oversized noses for monsters.
At anytime during this process, feel free to explore the
overall proportions of the head and change up the shapes.
As long as you keep the topology the same, you’ll end up
in good shape.
*Front View
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 13
13
Select the ten edges that border the tip and nostril
portions of the nose and edge bevel them using the
Edge Bevel Tool. This creates a new polygon loop as seen
in the images on the left.
New geometry shown in Blue.
Note:
An alternate method for this step can be found on the
next page.
*Front View
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 13 (Alternate)
13
Select the ten polygons that make up the tip and nostril
portions of the nose and inset them using the Polygon
Bevel Tool. This creates a new polygon loop as seen in the
images on the left.
New geometry shown in Blue.
Note:
This alternate technique is simply a reminder that there
are many ways to tackle any operation. Give both
methods a try and see which works best for you.
*Front View
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
14
Step | 14
Select the three polygons that make up the nostril area
and inset them using the Polygon Bevel Tool.
New geometry shown in Blue.
This will add additional geometry that can be used to
help shape the nose.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
15
Step | 15
Select the two polygons shown in the image to the left
and shift them in using the Polygon Bevel Tool to create
nostrils for the nose.
New geometry shown in Blue.
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TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 16
16
Use the additional geometry added from the previous
steps to refine the shape of the nose. Don’t forget that you
can create any shape nose that you would like. I find it
much easier to make broad changes to a mesh before too
much geometry is present.
Note:
I find that I spend only 10% of my time creating new
geometry and 90% of the time manipulating existing
geometry. Make sure you are taking time to refine the
mesh along the way before moving on to the next steps.
*Front View
*Side View
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TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
17
Step | 17
Select the edge shown in the image on the left for both
sides of the nose and reconfigure it using the Spin Edge
Command.
The Spin Edge Command rotates/spins an edge to
reconfigure the way it separates the two adjoining
polygons. Spin Edge changes the flow of your polygons
while maintaining the surrounding mesh.
Every major 3D software has at least one tool or
command that produces the results of the Spin Edge
command. They may not refer to it as the Spin Edge
command; rather they use names such as Rotate Edge,
Flip Edge or SpinQuads. To simplify things, I’ll be using
the name Spin Edge when referring to these tools.
For a better understanding of spinning edges, refer to
Section 04 from Volume one of the Topology Workbook.
18
Step | 18
The result of spinning the edges in the previous step
produced two edges that we need to remove from each
side of the nose. Select these edges and delete them.
Note:
While there was technically nothing wrong with the
topology that we started with at the beginning of Step 17,
the resulting topology after Step 18 is more ideal and sets
us up for future edits.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
19
Step | 19
Select the edges on the top of the head as seen in the
image to the left and use the Spin Edge Command to
reconfigure the topology.
The new topology removes the five-edge poles on top of
the head, but more importantly creates a clean loop that
we can use in the next step.
Note:
For more information on poles, refer to section 05 in
volume one of the Topology Workbook.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 20
20
Select the loop of polygons shown in the image on the
left and use the Loop Slice Tool to add an additional edge
loop.
This new geometry will be used to refine the shape of
the nose and provide more geometry for the brow and
eye area of the face. This is a perfect example of adding
localized detail.
*Side View
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
21
Step | 21
With the new geometry added, now would be a good
time to practice the 90% manipulation rule I mentioned
earlier. Spend some time refining the areas of the mesh
where we added geometry.
Tweak the mesh until you’re satisfied with the result. The
cleaner you make the mesh, the easier it will be to
produce good results in the future.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
22
Step | 22
Select the twelve polygons that make up the eye sockets
and inset them using the Polygon Bevel Tool. As you
would expect, a new loop is generated, creating the first
loop for the eyes.
New geometry shown in Blue.
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23
Step | 23
Select the twelve polygons that make up the eye area, if
they are no longer selected from the previous step, and
then inset them using the Polygon Bevel Tool. With the
polygons still selected, scale them vertically to create the
appearance of squinting or closed eyes.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
24
Step | 24
Like the previous step, select the nine polygons that make
up the mouth portion of the face and inset them using
the Polygon Bevel Tool. With the polygons still selected,
scale them vertically, then widen the mouth area to create
a larger mouth.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 25
25
We won’t be adding any more detail to the eyes or mouth
at this time. While nothing prevents us from doing it, I
find it easier to make broad edits to the face before too
much detail is in place.
Take some time to refine the overall shape of the head. If
you’d like larger or smaller features such as the eyes, nose
or mouth, now would be a great time to make those edits.
*Front View
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 26
26
Select the three polygons on both sides of the head (total
of six polygons) located where the ear will be created, as
seen in the image to the left, and inset it using the Polygon Bevel Tool. This will be the start of our character’s ear
topology.
New geometry shown in Blue.
*Side View
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Step | 27
27
Select the six polygons that make up the ear portion of
the head as seen in the image on the left, and extrude
them using the Polygon Bevel Tool.
*Side View
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28
Step | 28
With the new ear geometry created, refine the shape to
your liking. Although we can always change it later, now
would be a good time to decide the overall size and shape
of the ears you’d like your character to have.
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29
Step | 29
Select the six polygons that make up the inner ears and
inset them twice using the Polygon Bevel Tool. This will
create additional geometry that we can use to help add
localized detail to the ears.
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30
Step | 30
Select the edge shown in the image on the left for both
sides of the head and spin it using the Spin Edge
Command. The resulting topology will be ideal for the
outer portion of the ears.
Note:
This step uses a similar method to the final exercise in
Section 04 from Volume one of the Topology
Workbook. The main difference is that exercise used
fewer polygons to produce a similar topology.
The additional geometry used in this book will provide
us with more upfront geometry to work with, making it
easier to add detail.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
31
Step | 31
Spend a moment to refine the newly created geometry.
Next, select the nine inner ear polygons on each side of
the head (total of 18 polygons) as seen in the image on
the left, then inset and shift them twice using the
Polygon Bevel Tool to produce a concave shape.
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32
Step | 32
Select the three polygons on each side of the head (total
of six polygons) as seen in the image on the left. Next,
shift the polygons using the Polygon Bevel Tool to create
an ear canal.
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33
Step | 33
Select the polygon shown in the image on the left and
shift it out using the Polygon Bevel Tool to create the
tragus. Be sure you select a polygon on both sides of the
head if you’re not using the symmetry function.
Note:
The tragus is a prominence on the inner side of the
external ear, in front of and partly closing the passage to
the organs of hearing.
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34
Step | 34
The previous step introduced a six-edge pole near the
base of the tragus that we can easily fix using one of the
techniques discussed in volume one of the Topology
Workbook. It’s an ideal method for not only solving pole
issues, but also for creating cleaner topology.
Select the three polygons shown in the image on the left
and collapse them using the Collapse Selected
Command.
This introduces the first non-quad polygons (eight
triangles per ear). To address these triangles, simply
select the four edges as seen in the lower left image and
remove/delete them.
Note:
This method is also used in Section 06, Exercise 04 of
Volume one of the Topology Workbook.
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SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
35
36
Step | 35
Select and spin the edge shown in the image on the left
using the Spin Edge Tool. This creates a smoother
transition of the outer ear into the inner ear.
Step | 36
Select and spin the edge shown in the image on the left
using the Spin Edge Tool. Not only does this address the
six-edge pole that was created from the previous step, but
it also gives us an overall cleaner topology.
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37
Step | 37
Select the edges shown in the image on the left and move
them out using the Move Tool to create a subtle ridge in
the inner ear.
Note:
This is the final step for the ear in this exercise, but you’re
free to use the methods discussed in Volume one of the
Topology Workbook if you’d like to add additional detail.
For example, Section 06, Exercise 07 shares a quick
technique for adding more detail to the outer ear lobe.
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38
Step | 38
In the next few steps, we’ll be returning to the mouth to
create a mouth cavity and lips. Take some time to smooth
out the mouth topology to produce cleaner results.
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39
Step | 39
Select the nine polygons that make up the mouth portion
of the face and inset them using the Polygon Bevel Tool.
New geometry shown in Blue.
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40
Step | 40
Using the Polygon Bevel Tool, inset and shift three times
to produce the mouth cavity as seen in the lower left
image.
New geometry shown in Blue.
Note:
Feel free to refine the shape of the mouth cavity before
proceeding to the next step.
*Side View
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41
Step | 41
Use the additional geometry you created in the previous
two steps to define the shapes of the lips. You can then
choose whether to close the mouth or not. Since we won’t
be building a tongue, throat or teeth for this exercise, I
chose to close the mouth in this example.
Note:
No new geometry is created in this step. We simply
manipulate the existing geometry.
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Step | 42
Use the Polygon Bevel Tool and the same steps previously
used when working on the mouth to create the eyelids
and eye cavity.
Once the new geometry is created, spend some time
refining the shapes and close the eyelids before moving
on to the next step.
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Step | 43
Select the twelve polygons on the bottom of the head as
seen in the image on the left, then inset them using the
Polygon Bevel Tool.
New geometry shown in Blue.
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Step | 44
Select the same twelve polygons from the previous step
and shift them out using the Polygon Bevel Tool to create
neck geometry.
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Step | 45
Select the edge shown in the image on the left and spin it
using the Spin Edge Tool. This is a quick way to address
the six-edge pole on the jaw line and produce cleaner
topology.
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Step | 46
46
Extend the neck three more times using the Polygon
Bevel Tool, then spend time refining the shape of the
neck until you’re happy with the results.
*Front View
*Side View
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Step | 47
If you’ve been working without a centerline, add one at
this point. I chose to add my centerline using the Loop
Slice Tool. Since the mesh is made up of all quad
polygons with clean loops, adding more loops is a trivial
task.
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Step | 48
In the previous step, I mentioned how adding more loops
on a mesh with clean topology is a trivial task. To show
this in action, let’s create an additional loop that runs
through the eye and cheek portions of the face.
This additional loop can be useful for helping to define
the eyes as well as gain more control for shaping areas
such as the cheekbones.
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Step | 49
Congratulations! You’ve reached the end of this exercise!
If you’ve followed each step properly, you should have a
completed character head consisting of 668 SubD
polygons. More importantly, you should have all the core
facial topology that will allow for proper deformation
when animated.
At this stage, the mesh is made up of so few polygons that
it’s extremely easy to manipulate with minimal effort.
This is an ideal time to create UVs, blendshapes/morphs,
weights and more.
Once you are ready to move to the next stage of
production, you may find that you’d like a denser mesh.
By using the Subdivide Command we can convert the
mesh to 2672 polygons. We now have a denser cage to
work with, as seen in the image in the lower left.
My suggestion is to keep the mesh as light as possible for
as long as possible. It should also go without saying that
you should always save a pre-subdivided version of your
mesh that you can always return to.
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Practice Makes Perfect!
If this was your first time through this book, I encourage
you to run through the process several times. Each time,
attempt to create a completely different character.
Create as many heads as you can and see if you can get to
the point where the steps become second nature, allowing
you to focus more on the development of the character
and less on the technical aspects.
The more heads you model, the faster the process will
become. Each head on the left took roughly fifteen minutes to create using the exact steps described in this book.
As an incentive, I’ll award a prize to the first ten people
who post four unique character heads online using the
steps covered in this book.
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SECTION 02
Topology Reference
TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
SECTION 01 | Box Modeling: Character Head
Core Face Topology
With these Core Face Loops configured
from the very beginning, we have a solid
foundation to build on top of. Use this
reference sheet as a guide while
creating future character heads. It
can help you stay on track.
Base Mesh
Eye Mask Loop
Eye Loops
Laugh Line Loop
Mouth Loops
Inner-Laugh line and
Nose Loop
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Final Thoughts
TOPOLOGY WORKBOOK | volume 2
Closing the Loop
“Books are the real treasures of the
world!” -Skeletor
In closing, I’d like to thank you for reading this guide. The
time and energy that you’ve invested is sure to pay off. And
while this may be the conclusion of the book, it’s merely
the beginning of your journey with character modeling.
That said, you should have all the essential information
needed to start creating an endless variety of character
heads.
Remember that you can always return to this guide as a
refresher and a quick reference when tackling your next
character model.
Also remember to apply what you’ve learned from the
book in your character modeling, but don’t be a slave to
the process. Try new techniques, explore all of your
options and use what works best for you.
After some well-deserved time away from the computer, I’d
like to encourage you to keep modeling, keep learning and
most important… keep creating.
As a lifelong educator, I enjoy hearing feedback on the
training I provide. I encourage you to contact me through
my site, pushingpoints.com, share your thoughts on the
book and keep me posted on your work. I’d love to hear
from you.
Thanks for including me in your journey. Enjoy!
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More from Pushing Points
If you enjoyed this book and would like to continue expanding your knowledge of 3D modeling
and topology, you might be interested in volume one of the Topology Workbook.
The Pushing Points | Topology Workbook
The Pushing Points Topology Workbook is a 125page software-agnostic guide that teaches you the
foundation of SubD topology.
There are over sixty exercises packed with loads of
tips, tricks and techniques designed to teach you how
to manage the topology of your meshes.
Throughout the book you will also find many images
of wireframe rendered assets and their topology that
you can study for reference. This book doesn’t show
you how to build a car, character or creature. Instead,
it teaches you the foundation of SubD topology, so
you can construct ANY SubD asset with clean polygon
flow.
Andrea and William Vaughan
With Earth rapidly becoming inhospitable to human life, G.S. Archean carries a one-way crew
of courageous passengers to Uelara, an earth-like planet in the Cieri star system. Uelara is
ideal, except for one minor detail—its distance from Earth. Traveling at sub-light speed, the
generation ship won’t reach Uelara within the original crew’s lifetime.
Thirty years into the journey, a new generation born on the Archean trains to fulfill the first
generation’s mission. Eager to reach Uelara, the 2nd Gen crew prepares, as planned, to assume
their parents’ responsibilities—that is, until. . . someone goes missing and a devastating secret
is discovered, putting the future of the human race in jeopardy. Will the crew rally and carry
out the mission—or is humanity doomed?
It’s all up to the 2nd Gen.
*Cover Illustrated with Modo by Fred Gambino